Did you know the lighting in your office could be making you feel sick?

Feeling unmotivated and lethargic, suffering from headaches or eyestrain? There are some simple steps you can take to energize the work environment to combat stress and elevate mood by choosing the best lamp for your desk or task lighting needs. 

Healthful illumination is key to an environment partnered with increased productivity and job satisfaction.  The trend today is to improve upon what you already have rather than investing in new construction.  Upgrading your office with affordable and energy-efficient lighting is an investment that leads to outstanding visual improvements and a more healthful work environment.

Employ the Right Lamps for Greater Health Benefits:

Top Picks for Office Lighting:

-Quoizel’s “Zen” collection includes floor and table lamps with Mystic Black finishes and Rattan shades for corporate casual decor.

This week, I participated in a weekly twitter chat calledTweetChat, with whom I have no affiliation but do use) Wednesdays at 2 p.m. EST and use the hashtag #KBTribeChat. Information about the interesting conversation. One of the questions was about using lighting to personal kitchens and baths. Of course, this got me very excited. I inadvertently learned that Twitter is great if you have a little that you kind of want to say. It’s terrible when you have a LOT that you REALLY want to say. That 140 character limit becomes a cruel, tyrannical constraint. So I thought to myself: You’ll just have to wait until you get back home to the blog, where you can write actual paragraphs, to answer this question. Ahhh. It feels good now to have a little room to stretch out.

So, how can you use lighting to personalize a space? Here are 4 things to keep in mind.

1) Fixture and Light Source

Who doesn’t love recessed lighting? It is never out of style to have lighting subtly tucked into the ceiling, leading many homeowners to use recessed lighting in numerous rooms. We love recessed lighting at Electrical Gurus, and have installed plenty of them for Des Moines home and business owners over the years; however, there are instances when recessed lighting isn’t enough on its own or should be avoided altogether. Your local electricians are here to share when you should consider reining in your recessed lighting.

Providing a space with ambient lighting, as shown in our previous blog, is a crucial component when creating inviting, warm and properly illuminated spaces in your home. Too much of a good thing is definitely possible with recessed lighting, and it should never be used in place of all other light sources. Not only will your spaces lack task lighting, but you will be effectively illuminating your space from directly above, requiring far more light (and energy) to brighten the space; odds are, even with the lights cranked up, you’ll still have a dull, cavelike look to walls and corners with only directly downward light. Accent your recessed lighting with outward or upward ambient or accent lighting to create a more balanced lighting display.

Often, we see a single recessed light over a vanity, which can lead to a displeasing lighting effect. Just as with your home’s furniture, using only a direct overhead light creates unsightly shadows and does not properly illuminate the face. Using an overhead light on your vanity is great, but should always be accompanied by frontward facing lights to properly see your face.

Placing recessed lighting in tall ceilings is an odd concept. The primary benefit that recessed lighting provides is space efficiency, as the cans are placed above the ceiling, hiding the house wiring and electrical components. In a tall ceiling, not only is this unnecessary, but the light has to start from an even higher point. By the time the light reaches the room below, it is spread out and weaker, leading homeowners to use far more energy to brighten their rooms. Additionally, the shadows around the lighting cans will be especially prominent, leading to an ultimately darkened room. Instead, utilize hanging lights, fixtures, wall-mounted sconces, or even ground level lamps to brighten your taller rooms.

While it may sound like we’re beating up on recessed lighting, that is only because it is one of the most versatile lighting sources, which leads people to incorrectly believe that it is perfect in any room or as the only light source. As part of a comprehensive lighting strategy, recessed lighting is nearly unmatched in its widespread application and ease-of-use, just be sure to remember these helpful tips from your friendly, local Des Moines electricians at Electrical Gurus. Give us a call for help in planning out and installing your home’s ideal lighting solutions today!

Get in touch with our Des Moines electricians today!

video in which Kathleen Packard, their Healthcare Market Development Manager, discusses how some innovations in lighting can positively affect the healing process (and save energy and money). Packard describes hospitals as being historically “institutional and very uncomfortable,” and her mission is to educate the public on the “importance of design” to patient health.

intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell in the human eye, which senses light and regulates the body’s systems, including melatonin levels, which are directly related to sleep. Visa’s Amber Night Light, she says, creates ambient light that won’t disturb the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell. This allows nurses to check on patients without disturbing their sleep.

Of course, all this valuable information leads us to the problems solved by Visa Lighting’s healthcare light fixtures. Packard calls special attention to the benefits of using LED fixtures. She reminds us that LEDs are indeed a great option for hospitals because they are energy efficient and therefore save money, reducing the cost of healthcare; they render color well, which is necessary, so that doctors and nurses can accurately assess skin pallor; and, unlike fluorescent lamps, LEDs contain no mercury.